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Public Perception of Montessori

1.
PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF MONTESSORI EDUCATION
BY
Angela K. Murray, M.B.A., M.S.Ed.
Submitted to the Department of Psychology and Research in Education
and the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Kansas
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
____________________________
Vicki Peyton, Ph.D.
Chairperson
____________________________
Bruce Frey, Ph.D.
____________________________
William Skorupski, Ph.D.
____________________________
Barbara Thompson, Ph.D.
____________________________
Greg Welch, Ph.D.
Date Defended:
____________________________
Copyright 2008
Angela Kinney Murray

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Abstract
This study provides insight into the American public’s perceptions of Montessori
education one hundred years after its inception. The study is based on responses from an
online survey with 1,520 members of an internet panel which was stratified to reflect the
U.S. population based on age, ethnicity, gender, region, and income. The study answered
research questions regarding how much the general public knows about Montessori
education, perceptions of Montessori education and the attitudes and demographic
characteristics that are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori education. The
study found high awareness of the term “Montessori,” but lower knowledge of the specifics
of Montessori education. Generally favorable perceptions of Montessori education were
also discovered along with less widespread evidence of commonly reported criticisms.
Finally, and not surprisingly, familiarity with Montessori education led to more positive
opinions of Montessori education as did stronger beliefs that schools should play a role in
children’s development beyond academics.

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Dedication
This work is dedicated to my children, Duncan and Amelia, whose quick minds,
boundless enthusiasm, and breathtaking potential inspired me to pursue the study of
psychology and research in education.

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Acknowledgements
This project would not have been possible without the generous assistance of e-
Rewards Market Research. In particular, Jami Pulley and Brett Hagins were instrumental in
the data collection process and have my utmost thanks. I would also like to express my
gratitude to my employer and, especially, to my teammates and my manager for their
patience, flexibility, and moral support while I completed coursework and executed this
project. In addition, I would like to thank members of my committee and my committee
chairperson for making this project possible through their time and expertise. Finally, my
husband, my children and my extended family have my heartfelt gratitude for their support
and patience during the completion of this project and my degree.

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Chapter 1: Introduction
By the time Montessori education celebrated its centennial in 2007, an
estimated 5,000 Montessori schools existed in the United States, including 300 public
schools (Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006). While many people may recognize the
Montessori name because of the number of schools across the country and around the
world that bear it, anecdotal evidence suggests that the general public has a limited
understanding of the Montessori approach to education. Authors characterize the
limited knowledge of Montessori education in the general public by citing conflicting
criticisms that Montessori education is either too rigid and robs children of creativity
or that it is completely unstructured and without any academic standards (Chattin-
McNichols, 1998). In order to address this lack of understanding, the American
Montessori Society (AMS) launched a multifaceted campaign in 2005 to educate the
public about the value of Montessori education (American Montessori Society. n.d.b).
The campaign, dubbed the “Montessori Initiative,” includes public relations and
marketing campaigns as well as a new magazine for Montessori families (American
Montessori Society. n.d.b).
Montessori education is an individualized approach with a long-term
perspective. Children remain with the same teacher in multiage classrooms for three
years, allowing for continuity in the learning experience. In this environment,

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children work at their own pace with opportunities for cooperative learning while
working in small, mixed age groupings according to ability and interest (Charlap,
1999). Montessori programs typically limit the emphasis on whole group instruction,
grades and tests and instead focus on student-chosen work with specially designed
materials during long blocks of uninterrupted time (Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006).
Even though a large proportion of Montessori schools are preschools, Montessori
programs exist for children of all ages ranging from infants through high school
(Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006).
The purpose of this study was to gauge the general public’s knowledge of
these and other aspects of Montessori education as well as their perceptions of its
effectiveness. Specifically, this study answered research questions regarding (1) How
much does the general public know about Montessori education? (2) What are the
general public’s perceptions of Montessori education? and (3) What attitudes and
demographic characteristics are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori
education?
.

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Chapter 2: Review of Literature
The Montessori Method of education was originated by Maria Montessori
(1870-1952), Italy’s first female physician over one hundred years ago (Hainstock,
1997). The initial elements of her method were developed through astute observation
of children's behavior while working with disadvantaged children in the worst slum in
Rome (Shute, 2002). She integrated close observation of children’s behavior with her
scientific knowledge of children’s growth and development to create a framework for
an educational approach that she believed would lead all children to become self-
motivated, independent and lifelong learners (American Montessori Society, n.d.a).
Her ideas that children learn through hands-on activity and that critical brain
development occurs during the preschool years were considered quite radical in
Montessori’s day but are now widely accepted educational principles (Shute, 2002).
Montessori Philosophy
Based on her study of children, Maria Montessori constructed a philosophy of
psychological development she believed children would follow if they were given
freedom in an appropriate environment (Lillard, P., 1972). She believed that children
possess natural tendencies that enable them to fulfill their own optimal development
(Lillard, P., 1972). These developmental tendencies include: a desire and tendency for

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meaningful work, attention, independence, and, ultimately, self-discipline (Lillard, P.,
1972). These are the basic psychological principles of development which she
believed would lead to development of intelligence, creativity, and emotional and
spiritual awareness (Lillard, P., 1972). Thus, Maria Montessori’s philosophy of child
development clearly encompassed the whole child rather than only his academic
achievement. The paragraphs that follow outline the developmental tendencies Maria
Montessori identified and how they form the basis for the Montessori Method of
education.
Desire for work. Maria Montessori believed that discovering a child’s need for
meaningful work was one of the most important developmental principles she
identified (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 37). She believed that a child “prefers a disciplined
task to futile idleness” and that, in fact, a child will suffer from the “normal” lines of
construction if he is in an environment without opportunities to exercise his desire for
work (Montessori, 1966, p. 148). “A child’s desire to work,” she said, “represents a
vital instinct since he cannot organize his personality without working: a man builds
himself through working” (Montessori, 1966, p. 186).
In order to characterize the work of the child, Maria Montessori contrasted it
with the work of an adult by pointing out the adult’s emphasis on accomplishing
goals through work whereas, “When a child works, he does not do so to attain some
further goal. His objective in working is the work itself…” (Montessori, 1966,
p. 196). She illustrated another distinction between adult work and that of a child in

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discussing an adult’s desire for efficiency in accomplishing a task in order to
minimize fatigue. She said, “A child, on the other hand, does not become weary with
toil. He grows by working and, as a consequence, his work increases his energy”
(Montessori, 1966, p. 197).
Maria Montessori’s views on pretend play were based on her ideas regarding
the importance of meaningful work in a child’s development (Lillard, A., 2005). She
believed that fantasy had no place for children under the age of six because the goal
of young children is learning to perceive and understand the real world. Furthermore,
she believed that games such as playing house represented a child’s desire to
participate in the important work of the family rather than his desire to imitate the
behavior of adults through fantasy play (Lillard, A., 2005). As a result, Montessori
preschool classrooms do not typically have a dress-up or housekeeping area. They
also tend use nonfiction books and to avoid books with cartoon characters talking
animals, or other fantastic creatures (Lillard, A., 2005). Montessori education
introduces fantasy at the elementary level when Maria Montessori believed children
had a well developed sense of the difference between fantasy and reality (Lillard, A.,
2005).
Independence. Autonomy is another cornerstone of Montessori education at
all levels because the philosophy is based on a fundamental belief that children are
best able to guide their own development when they are given the freedom to do so
(Lillard, P., 1972). Montessori’s faith in the child’s ability to guide his own

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development was closely linked to her belief that the child would naturally choose the
most meaningful work to fulfill his developmental needs. Maria Montessori believed
children develop best when adults do not do things for them and instead respond to
the child’s inner need to “Help me to do it alone!” (Montessori, 1966, p. 198).
Rambusch and Stoops (1992, p. 38) consider self directed education “fueled by the
need to be competent” as essential to authentic Montessori learning activity.
Attention. Maria Montessori (1995, p. 222) herself said, “The first essential
for the child's development is concentration. It lays the whole basis for his character
and social behavior.” As a result, the Montessori Method of education was designed
to provide the child with an engaging environment that allows him the freedom to
exercise his powers of concentration. Maria Montessori believed that children should
have opportunities to perform meaningful work independently and for as long as
necessary until they reach a satisfactory conclusion to their cycle of work (Lillard, P.,
1996). Maria Montessori said, “…when he has repeated an exercise and brought his
own activities to an end, this end is independent of external factors” (Montessori,
1966, p. 196). Furthermore, she emphasized that fatigue is not the driving force
behind a child’s completing his work, saying, “As far as the child’s personal reactions
are concerned, his cessation from work is not connected with weariness since it is
characteristic of a child to leave his work completely refreshed and full of energy”
(Montessori, 1966, p. 196).

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Self-discipline. Maria Montessori believed that a child learning self-control is
a process (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 40). After achieving a certain level of concentration
through independent work, she observed that children tended to repeat the cycle of an
exercise many times with a sense of satisfaction, independence and growing self-
confidence (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 41). Once mastering the ability to persevere in a task,
Montessori saw emerging self-discipline as the next step in the development of the
will (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 41). She believed self-discipline allowed the child to
creatively use his abilities and accept responsibility for his actions (Lillard, P., 1972,
p. 41). Maria Montessori said, “Making use of his own will in his contact with his
environment, he develops his various faculties and thus becomes in a sense his own
creator” (Montessori 1966, p. 33). A well known Montessorian, Paula Polk Lillard
(1996, p. 23), linked the child’s development of self-discipline to freedom, “To be
free means to be in control of self, to be able to do what one chooses to do, not what
one’s feelings or illogical thoughts of the moment may dictate.” Rambusch and
Stoops (1992) consider children exercising the self-discipline required to initiate and
persist in work to be essential to authentic Montessori learning activities.
Furthermore, Maria Montessori believed tying extrinsic rewards to an activity
negatively impacts the development of the self-discipline required to engage in an
activity when the reward is withdrawn (Lillard, A., 2005). Instead, Maria Montessori
argued that students develop intrinsic motivation when the learning activity itself is
its own reward (Rambusch & Stoops, 1992).

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In summary, Maria Montessori identified internal psychological dispositions
which she believed children use for guiding their own development when their efforts
are not thwarted by adults. She said, “…the guiding principle for human development
is a personal energy contained within the child” (Montessori 1966, p. 32). She argued
that “Actually the normal child is one who is precociously intelligent, who has
learned to overcome himself and to live in peace, and who prefers a disciplined task
to futile idleness” (Montessori, 1966, p. 148). Montessori used the term “normalized”
to describe children who have developed independence, concentration, and self-
discipline through meaningful work (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 37-38). Her concept of
normal child development forms the philosophical foundation for the educational
practices of the Montessori Method discussed in the next section.
Montessori Method
Maria Montessori’s most enduring contribution to the field of education is the
comprehensive method she developed to implement her philosophies (Lillard, P.,
1972, p. 50). The Montessori learning environment and the Montessori teacher
comprise the key elements of the Montessori Method (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 50).
Montessori environment. As discussed previously, Montessori philosophy
proposes that learning is the process of the child constructing his own potential
through his own efforts (Lillard, P., 1996). Maria Montessori emphasized the
importance of providing children with a “prepared” environment to enable them to

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have the freedom to develop optimally (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 51). She said, “It is
through the environment that the individual is molded and brought to perfection”
(Montessori, 1966, p. 35). Thus, the Montessori environment is designed to provide
children with the freedom, structure, materials, and supportive community for their
own self-construction (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 51).
Montessori students have the freedom to exercise control over many aspects
of their daily lives and learn to attribute success and failure to their own actions based
on direct experience with the consequences of their decisions (Lillard, P., 1972). This
freedom is most apparent in the degree of control students have over choosing their
own work during an uninterrupted block of work time (Lillard, P., 1996). During a
one-and-a-half to three-hour block of time, children of all ages are free to select any
work on which they have received a lesson (Lillard, P., 1972). Each student works
individually or in a small group at his own pace and at his own level. Students may
decide if they will start the day with less demanding tasks and gradually build up to
their big work of the day. Or, they can decide to immediately dive into a long term
project they have been working on for days or weeks. The uninterrupted work cycle
relies heavily on Montessori’s belief in the child’s natural desire and tendency for
meaningful work (Lillard, P., 1972).
In order to support the child’s freedom, Montessori environments emphasize
structure and order (Lillard, P., 1972). Materials within classrooms are arranged
according to area of interest and in order of graduated difficulty (Lillard, P., 1972,

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p. 56-57). This organization facilitates the child’s freedom to choose and successfully
complete his work (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 57). Materials are maintained so that none of
the pieces are broken or missing, and children are expected to carefully return
materials to their proper place for others to use (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 57). In this way,
Montessorians involve children as caretakers of their classroom environments with
responsibility for maintaining order (Lillard, P., 1972).
Some of the most recognized aspects of the Montessori environment are the
unique, hands-on materials (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 59). In fact, Rambusch and Stoops
(1992, p. 35) list first-hand experience with the materials as a key element in
authentic Montessori learning activity. These materials provide the foundation for the
freedom possible in a Montessori classroom. The materials on the shelves facilitate
independent work because “the whole of [the] child’s path to independent discovery”
is available on the shelves (Lillard, P., 1996, p. 57).
Montessori materials facilitate an individualized approach to learning because
they are “the means to personal formation for each child” (Lillard, P., 1996, p. 57).
Montessori children move through the materials and curriculum at their own pace
rather than on an external timeline because “each child comes with his or her own
interests and capacities” (Lillard, P., 1996, p. 72). Paula Polk Lillard (1996, p. 57-58)
notes that, “Not every child will work with every material to the same extent, and
some children will go much deeper in their search for knowledge in specific areas
than others.” Montessori teachers look for windows of opportunity for introducing

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new materials based on observation and experimentation to ensure maximum
meaningfulness to the child (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 61).
To maximize meaningfulness, Maria Montessori suggested teachers recognize
that children progress through “Sensitive Periods” which correspond to their
individual developmental needs at a particular time (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 32). Paula
Polk Lillard (1972, p. 32) describes Sensitive Periods as “blocks of time in a child’s
life when he is absorbed with one characteristic of his environment to the exclusion of
all others.” Examples of sensitive periods include, use of the hand and tongue, the
development of walking, a fascination with minute and detailed objects, and a time of
intense social interest (Lillard, P., 1972, p. 33). She believed responding to these
sensitive periods was crucial for matching the child with materials which would aid
his development, particularly the ability to concentrate (Lillard, P., 1972). She said,
He must find out how to concentrate, and for this he needs things to
concentrate upon. This shows the importance of his surroundings, for no one
acting on the child from the outside can cause him to concentrate. …None of
us can do it for him. (Montessori, 1995, p. 222).
In addition to fostering concentration skills and independence, the concrete
Montessori materials are designed to allow children to create an inner picture of
complex concepts which will serve them for a lifetime (Lillard, A., 2005).
Montessorians believe that young children are very limited in their ability to think
abstractly, so Montessori students rarely rely on tests and workbooks (Seldin, 2000).
Furthermore, the Montessori materials are not simply visual aids used for
demonstrating concepts. Instead, the child’s learning takes form through his repeated,

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individual use of the materials (Lillard, P., 1996). Montessori experts have described
the use of the materials as “a creative process undertaken by the child to construct her
own knowledge” (Chattin-McNichols, 1998, p. 97). While some of the Montessori
materials resemble manipulatives used in other classroom situations, their prominence
and individual use are unique in a Montessori classroom.
The emphasis of the classroom community is another unique feature of
Montessori education. Since Montessorians believe that learning reaches its fullest
potential in a socialized context, the classroom community is crucial to the
Montessori environment (Rambusch & Stoops, 1992). Paula Polk Lillard (1972,
p. 74) claims that “The spontaneous creation of a community children is one of the
most remarkable outcomes of the Montessori approach.” Teachers are not the driving
force, but they enable children to manage their own community in a variety of ways
(Seldin, 2000). Children begin to feel ownership toward the classroom environment
because they are a key source of its daily maintenance through returning materials to
their proper places, polishing tables, and caring for plants and animals (Lillard, P.,
1972).
Another source for the development of community life comes from the sense
of responsibility children come to feel for one another due, at least in part, to the
mixed age structure of Montessori classrooms (Lillard, P., 1972). Traditionally,
Montessori classes are comprised of children spanning a three-year age band with
children remaining in the same classroom with the same teacher for three years

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(Seldin, 2000). Even in the preschool classes, older children naturally help their
younger classmates (Lillard, P., 1972). Elementary children of various ages are
encouraged to collaborate and work together (Seldin, 2000). This structure is
predicated on Montessorians’ belief that collaborative arrangements are conducive to
learning (Lillard, A., 2005).
Furthermore, the individualized nature of the curriculum and lack of
traditional grading are conducive to cooperation rather than competition (Rambusch
& Stoops, 1992). Cooperation among Montessori children is reinforced through
establishing a climate of mutual respect for the needs of each individual child. For
example, Montessori classrooms typically have only one specimen of each of the
materials available to the children (Hainstock, 1997). When one child wishes to use
an activity in which another child is engaged, he must wait his turn and respect the
other child’s work. Since children encounter this situation regularly, they gain much
practice in appreciating the rights of others through patiently waiting their turn. Maria
Montessori believed that when children experience an environment in which they are
treated with dignity, respect and kindness, and they will naturally treat others likewise
(Seldin, 2000).
Montessori teacher. Along with the environment, the teacher is the other
crucial element in the Montessori Method (Lillard, P., 1972). In fact, the key
responsibility of the Montessori teacher is to be the “designer, organizer, preparer” of
an “appropriate social and cognitive environment for children” (Rambusch & Stoops,

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1992, p. 38). The role of the Montessori teacher is not to impart knowledge but to
indirectly “set free the individuals’ own potential for constructive self-development”
(Lillard, P., 1972, p. 77). As a result, the term “teacher” is avoided in some
Montessori schools in favor of the term “guide” to emphasize the child's role in his
own learning (Chattin-McNichols, 1998, p. 56-58). The arrangement of a Montessori
elementary classroom illustrates the reduced emphasis of the teacher as the focal
point. There is typically no desk at the head of the classroom, the teacher is most
often found in some corner of the room surrounded by a small group of students
discussing their work or giving a lesson (Chattin-McNichols, 1998, p. 56-58).
Another important responsibility of the Montessori teacher is protecting
children’s freedom to pursue their own optimal developmental path (Lillard, P., 1972,
p. 90). One aspect of this is protecting children’s right to a block of time within which
to work. This often means leaving them alone to do their important, independent
work (Lillard, P., 1996). The Montessori teacher must protect the children from
interruption during this crucial time in order to foster concentration because, as Maria
Montessori said, “Interest is not immediately born, and if when it has been created,
the work is withdrawn, it is like depriving a whetted appetite of the food that will
satisfy it” (Lillard, P., 1996, p. 95). Furthermore, she said, “Praise, help, or even a
look, may be enough to interrupt him, or destroy the activity.” (1995, p. 280)
In addition to preparing the environment and protecting children’s freedom,
Montessori teachers guide and monitor students’ progress through the graduated

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curriculum. The individualized nature of the Montessori curriculum places unique
demands on the Montessori teacher. In order to serve as an “effective link to the
environment for the children, the Montessori teacher constantly observes the children
in order to know where they are in their development at any given moment” (Lillard,
P., 1996, p. 91). In this way, teachers utilize their intimate knowledge of students’
abilities to help them progress through the graduated structure of the Montessori
curriculum. Montessori education builds on the premise that competence begets
confidence. As crucial as following the child’s interests is, monitoring the child’s
progress is equally important because “…the secret to maintaining their interest is to
keep them challenged” (Lillard, P., 1996, p. 92). Montessorians believe that
appropriate levels of challenge are important in maintaining interest and for building
upon children’s feelings of competence. Each individual child’s progress is tracked
by teachers who follow the child for three years in a multi-age classroom (Lillard, P.,
1996, p. 91). This approach facilitates Maria Montessori’s (1965, p. 111-114)
recommended method of understanding a child’s progress through “prolonged
observation.” Teachers gauge understanding by the way materials are handled,
accuracy of written work, ability to transfer concepts to new situations, and
demonstrating mastery through one child teaching a concept to another (Charlap,
1999).
Montessori educators downplay or avoid performance goals like grades and
competition among students because they believe that these are extrinsic rewards

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which diminish a child’s intrinsic motivation (Lillard, A., 2005). Rather than relying
on grades and testing for student evaluation, Montessori teachers emphasize
observing the child’s progress through materials of graduated difficulty in
conjunction with detailed recordkeeping (Kripalani in Kahn, 1990). Elementary
students are also encouraged to gauge their own success based on goals they establish
with guidance from their teachers in regular, often weekly, conferences. The
consequences for failing to achieve goals tend to be logically related to the situation.
Punishment in the form of bad grades is not used as used to coerce behavior (Lillard,
A., 2005).
History of Montessori Education in the United States
The Montessori name is familiar today because many schools across the
country and around the world include “Montessori” in their names. At present it is
estimated that 5,000 Montessori schools exist in the United States, including 300
public schools (Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006). A large proportion of these schools
are preschools; however, Montessori programs exist for children of all ages ranging
from infants through high school (Lillard, P., 1996). Although many Americans may
have heard the Montessori name, few likely understand the origins of Montessori
education in this country (Wentworth, 1999).
As education became a popular topic for the proliferating American media in
the early twentieth century, the Montessori philosophy of education was reported in

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such periodicals as American Education, Journal of Educational Psychology,
Kindergarten Review, Pedagogical Seminar, American Primary Teacher and even
Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s Home Companion, Good Housekeeping, and
Scientific American (Kramer, 1988, p. 159). But, a series of articles in McClure’s
Magazine in 1911 and 1912 were so influential that Montessori education came to the
attention of the general public in the U.S. (Kramer, 1988).
High profile support from Alexander Graham Bell and his wife contributed to
the American public’s curiosity about Montessori education (Kramer, 1988). The
Bells established a Montessori class in their home for two of their grandchildren and a
small group of neighbors’ children in 1912 (Kramer, 1988). The first Montessori
school in America, however, had opened in the fall of 1911. The school was started
by Anne E. George in Tarrytown, New York after she became the first American
teacher trained by Maria Montessori herself (Kramer, 1988). Mrs. Bell subsequently
asked Anne George to establish a private Montessori school in Washington D.C., and
personally subscribed $1,000 to help the effort (Kramer, 1988).
By 1913, almost 100 Montessori schools were operating in America, and
Maria Montessori’s personal popularity was so strong that she was received by large,
enthusiastic crowds on her first visit in late 1913 (Kramer, 1988). In fact, one of the
largest audiences in history packed Carnegie hall to hear her speak. The New York
Sun reported those in the crowd “were eager to hear Dr. Montessori explain how she
was able to make children advance rapidly in learning, make them polite, self-reliant

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and charming by giving them complete liberty and without rewards or punishments”
(Kramer, 1988, p. 194).
Despite growing public interest and high profile support, proliferation of
Montessori education in the United States was hindered because only one teacher was
qualified to teach children, and Montessori allowed no one but herself to train
additional teachers (Kramer, 1988). Thus, a Montessori American Committee was
formed in the spring of 1912 which organized the first international training course to
be held in Rome in January of 1913. Out of 87 trainees who enrolled in the course, 67
were from the U.S. (Kramer, 1988).
The convergence of the public’s hunger for Montessori education and
Montessori’s tight controls on her method spawned many “popularizers and
interpreters” (Kramer, 1988, p. 174). Montessori renounced these efforts based on her
conviction that these distortions, even if well meaning, would result in
oversimplification or misinterpretation of her comprehensive method. On the other
hand, her tight controls were ultimately destructive, because, as biographer Kramer
(1988, p. 174) said, “There are no monopolies in the commerce of ideas.”
In addition to the challenges of controlling growth, criticism from prominent
teacher educator William Heard Kilpatrick also hurt further expansion of Montessori
education (Kramer, 1988). Kilpatrick studied Italian to be able to communicate
directly with Maria Montessori when they met, but their interactions were strained
(Shortridge, 2007). After visiting several Italian Montessori schools, he criticized the

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degree of freedom he witnessed as well as the proscribed use of Montessori’s didactic
materials (Shortridge, 2007). He criticized Montessori education for being behind the
times because of its lack of emphasis on imaginative play (Shortridge, 2007). He
summarized his assessment of Montessori education in The Montessori System
Examined which was published in 1914 (Shortridge, 2007). This monograph as well
as his public statements contributed greatly to the early academic rejection of
Montessori education (Shortridge, 2007). Thus, Kilpatrick’s criticism along with
limited opportunities for expansion and the outbreak of World War I all contributed
to the decline of the initial wave of enthusiasm regarding Montessori education in
America (Kramer, 1988).
A second wave of interest in Montessori education began shortly after Maria
Montessori’s death in 1952 at the age of 81 (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006).
Leading this new wave of interest was charismatic and influential Nancy McCormick
Rambusch (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006). She became interested in Montessori
education after reading Maria Montessori’s writings as an undergraduate at the
University of Toronto in the late 1940s. When her first child was born in 1952,
Rambusch examined Montessori education seriously as an educational alternative for
her own children. She attended the Tenth International Montessori Congress in Paris
in 1953. At this gathering she met Mario Montessori, Maria Montessori’s son and
heir to her educational legacy through the Association Montessori Internationale
(AMI) (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006). Rambusch was instrumental in

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establishing the Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut which was the brainchild
of a group of affluent and influential Catholic parents (Whitescarver & Cossentino,
2006).
Mario Montessori supported the Whitby School and the establishment of the
American Montessori Society (AMS) as an affiliate of the AMI in 1960 with
Rambusch as its first president (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006). Unfortunately,
conflicts between Mario Montessori and Rambusch emerged quickly and came to a
critical juncture on the topic of teacher training. Rambusch and the AMS wanted to
develop innovations for an Americanized form of Montessori education which the
AMI thwarted (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006). The rupture was complete in 1963
when Mario Montessori withdrew support for the AMS as the face of Montessori in
the United States (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006).
Despite these conflicts, Montessori education continued to grow in the U.S.
during the 1960s (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006). By 1970, AMI affiliated
schools numbered 150 and AMS affiliated schools rose to 171 (Whitescarver &
Cossentino, 2006). In addition, the AMI’s Washington Montessori Institute trained
395 teachers during the period from 1963 to 1970 with seven additional AMI training
centers opening. AMS had trained 783 teachers by 1970 (Whitescarver & Cossentino,
2006).
Today, more Montessori schools exist in the United States than in all other
countries combined, making it more of an “American export” than a “European

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import” (Whitescarver & Cossentino, 2006, p. 49). Montessori has grown as a choice
in public schools in the United States due to pressure from parents (Hainstock, 1997).
The first Montessori public school was Hilltop Elementary established in 1967 in
greater Cincinnati (Gordon, 2005). In the 1980s, Montessori magnet schools
experienced a five-fold increase in numbers (Kahn, 1990). In 1993, it was reported
that 29 of the 100 largest U.S. school systems offered Montessori programs (MPSC,
1993b). The AMS estimates 325 Montessori programs in charter and public schools
today (American Montessori Society, n.d.a).
Montessori Research
Montessori research has historically been limited, but the number of studies
has been increasing in recent years. One of the challenges to conducting research on
Montessori education is the great diversity that exists across Montessori schools and
teachers even among those who are trained and certified by major Montessori
organizations like the AMS or the AMI (Lillard, A., 2005). Montessori organizations
have begun encouraging well designed research projects to address these challenges.
The AMI highlights high profile research studies on the effectiveness of Montessori
education on its web site and was one of several sponsors of a long term study of
students from Milwaukee public Montessori schools. (This study will be discussed in
subsequent paragraphs.) The AMS has made an effort to encourage research through
establishing a research committee, publishing research on its web site, and offering

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monetary awards to outstanding theses and dissertations each year (American
Montessori Society, n.d.a).
Initially, Montessori research focused on the preschool level with an emphasis
on Head Start programs. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a number of studies
included Montessori as one of several programs to which preschoolers were randomly
assigned in order to assess the effectiveness of various programs for low income
students (DiLorenzo, Salter & Brady, 1969; Karnes, Shwedel, & Williams, 1983;
Kohlberg, 1968; Miller, Dyer, Stevenson & White, 1975). Although Montessori
programs showed superiority on some measures, these studies were of limited value
in evaluating Montessori education because of poor or unspecified implementation of
the approach (Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006). Furthermore, most studies included
programs of only a few months in duration and/or very short daily exposure to the
Montessori approach, and many also had very small sample sizes (Chattin-
McNichols, 1998).
Several recent studies have come from dissertations and theses. Daoust (2005)
examined the implementation of Montessori early childhood practices in a particular
region of the U.S. Through semi structured interviews with 66 early childhood
Montessori teachers, cluster analysis revealed four subgroups of teachers. The
“traditional” group adhered most strictly to authentic Montessori practices. The
“contemporary” group followed authentic elements of Montessori education less
strictly than the traditional group. The “blended” and “explorative” groups combined

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Montessori elements with those typically associated with other models of early
childhood education. A key difference between the groups was work period length
and percentage of whole group presentations. The author concludes that some
teachers were “unaware that they were implementing practices that were inconsistent
with the philosophical tenets of the approach” (Daoust, 2005).
Roemer (1999) investigated assessment practices of Montessori teachers with
kindergarten through sixth grade students. She addressed the problem that the
methods and reasoning behind student evaluations are not well understood. A survey
of 108 AMS member schools with elementary programs found that both alternative
and traditional assessment practices were used. Montessori schools reported using
standardized achievement tests but were not convinced they fit into the Montessori
philosophy. Instead, parent-teacher conferences, nongraded report cards, anecdotal
records, and student portfolios were used successfully (Roemer, 1999)
Castellanos (2003) compared children from traditional and Montessori
elementary programs to investigate how different educational philosophies and
teaching methods affect perceived levels of self-esteem, self-efficacy, prosocial
behavior and aggressive behavior in children. The study utilized the Washington Self-
Description Questionnaire (WSDQ), three subscales of the Children’s Multi-
dimensional Self-Efficacy Scales (i.e., academic achievement, self-regulated learning,
& social), the Physical and Verbal Aggression Scale, and the Prosocial Behavior
Scale. Findings suggested that there were no differences on perceived levels of self-

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esteem, self-efficacy for academic achievement, self-efficacy for self regulated
learning, social self-efficacy, or prosocial behavior. But, Montessori children reported
significantly lower levels of physical/verbal aggression and a stronger perceived
ability to make and keep friends of the same gender (Castellanos, 2003).
Sullivan (2007) compared characteristics of early elementary homework for
Montessori and traditional schools. The study found that there were no significant
differences in the amount of time children spent doing homework or the amount of
parental involvement in homework, but Montessori children were permitted to choose
topics of essays and other homework twice as often on average as children in
traditional schools (Sullivan, 2007).
This investigator conducted a study of threats to the future of public
Montessori elementary schools (Murray, 2005). Based on an online survey with 85
principals and other leaders in public Montessori elementary schools, the study
outlined characteristics of Montessori education in public elementary schools as they
began facing the new challenges of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB).
Despite the lack of emphasis on traditional testing practices in Montessori education,
the study found that many schools have participated in standardized testing programs
for many years and that support for testing practices does not differ between
principals with and those without Montessori certification. Even though they struggle
with budget cuts, stricter state and federal requirements, and teacher shortages, public
Montessori elementary schools reported striving to maintain a unique educational

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environment through certified teachers, ongoing professional support for teachers,
and well equipped classrooms (Murray, 2005).
Finally, one unpublished dissertation dealt directly with the question of
academic achievement in Montessori schools. Manner (2000) investigated math and
reading learning growth over a three-year period in a public school district in Florida.
Beginning in second grade, Montessori students were matched with students in a
traditional elementary school of similar demographics. Starting from nearly
equivalent performance on math and reading, the study found Montessori scores
surpassing those of the traditionally educated students in both areas (Manner, 2000).
In addition to the recent unpublished dissertations on Montessori education,
other studies have been published in mainstream journals in recent years regarding
the effectiveness of Montessori education. A high profile study was recently
published in the journal Science (Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006). The study
evaluated the impact of Montessori education on social and academic outcomes for
children at the end of the two most widely available Montessori age groups: primary
(three- to six-year-olds) and elementary (six- to twelve-year olds). The study
experimental and control groups were established based on students selected through
a lottery to attend a public Montessori school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The school
served predominantly urban minority children, had been in operation for nine years,
and was recognized by the AMI. Results showed superior outcomes for the children
who attended the Montessori school. Montessori children in the younger age group

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performed better on standardized tests of reading and math, engaged in more positive
interaction on the playground, and showed more advanced social cognition and
executive control. They also expressed more concern for fairness and justice. The
older Montessori children wrote more creative essays with more complex sentence
structures, selected more positive responses to social dilemmas, and reported feeling
more of a sense of community at school (Lillard, A. & Else-Quest, 2006).
The AMI published results from a study conducted by Dohrmann (2003) on
the long term impacts of two public Montessori elementary programs also in
Milwaukee Public Schools. The study included a large number of subjects, 201, and a
control group matched on gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and high
school attended. According to Angeline Lillard and Nicole Else-Quest (2006), results
from this study were presented as a paper at the American Educational Research
Association annual convention in San Francisco in 2006. Researchers gathered scores
from the ACT, WKCE (Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination, a form of
the nationally standardized Terra Nova), and high school GPA for Montessori and
comparison group high school graduates from the Milwaukee Public Schools. Using
structural equation modeling the study found the students who had attended the
Montessori schools from the approximate ages of 3 to 11 significantly outperformed
the control group on Math/Science scores on the ACT and WKCE in high school with
no differences found on English/Social Studies scores or GPA (Dohrmann, 2003).

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Montessori education was included as 1 of 29 comprehensive school reform
programs evaluated in a meta-analysis conducted by Borman (2003). Although only
two Montessori studies were included in the meta-analysis, the programs evaluated in
the studies analyzed demonstrated one of the largest effects on achievement (d = .27)
of all the programs evaluated (Borman, 2003).
Results of a 2005 study were more mixed, finding that Montessori students
did not surpass students in other types of schools in a large urban district in western
New York (Lopata, Wallace, & Finn, 2005). This study attempted to control for
parental choice through comparing the Montessori school to two other magnet
schools with similar selection criteria as well as one nonmagnet school. In addition,
schools were matched on gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and individual
child demographic characteristics were included as covariates. These results showed
superior performance for fourth grade Montessori students in math but inferior
performance of eighth grade students in the Montessori school compared to the other
schools on language arts achievement (Lopata, Wallace, & Finn, 2005).
Two recent articles explored differences between traditional and Montessori
middle schools in terms of motivation, quality of experience, time use, and
perceptions of schools, teachers, and friends (Rathunde & Csikszentmihalyi, 2005a,
Rathunde & Csikszentmihalyi, 2005b). Both articles presented results from studies
with 290 demographically matched Montessori and traditional middle school students
using surveys as well as the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Montessori

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students reported more positive perceptions of their school environments and teachers
and more often perceived classmates as friends. They also reported greater affect,
potency (feeling energetic), intrinsic motivation, flow experience, and undivided
interest (combination of high intrinsic motivation and high salience or importance).
While Montessori students spent more time in school on school related tasks, chores,
collaborative work, and individual projects, traditional students spent more time at
school engaged in social and leisure activities and in didactic educational settings
(listening to lecture, note taking, watching instructional videos) (Rathunde &
Csikszentmihalyi, 2005a, Rathunde & Csikszentmihalyi, 2005b).
Future of Montessori Education in the United States
Despite the number of Montessori schools in the U.S. and growing evidence
of its effectiveness, several hurdles stand in the way of future growth of Montessori
education. First, the Montessori name is not legally protected. So, any school could
use the term in their name regardless of the degree to which they follow the principles
of the Montessori philosophy (Wentworth, 1999). The AMS and the AMI have
programs for recognizing schools that adhere to their requirements for authentic
Montessori education (American Montessori Society, n.d.c; Association Montessori
Internationale, n.d.a), but many schools operate without such recognition. Some of
these schools may borrow only minor elements of the Montessori Method making it

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difficult for parents to gauge the fundamental aspects of the approach (Lillard, A.,
2005).
Second, the most highly regarded teacher training programs organized by the
AMS and AMI are not easily accessible. AMS has 84 training centers across the
United States, but they are highly concentrated with over half in the northeast and
south (American Montessori Society, n.d.d). AMI has only 11 training centers in the
entire country. (Association Montessori Internationale, n.d.b). Since alternative
Montessori teacher training programs, including distance learning programs, have
emerged with little quality control, authentic Montessori education has become
increasingly difficult for laymen to recognize (Association Montessori Internationale,
n.d.c)
Finally, public Montessori schools represent both opportunities and challenges
to the future of Montessori education in the U.S. Montessori in public schools could
contribute to increased access and recognition for the approach. Hainstock (1997,
p. 43) suggested parents have pressured public schools to consider Montessori
programs because of a desire for more choice and better quality in education.
Angeline Lillard (2005, p. 4-5) reported widespread dissatisfaction with public
schools cited across a number of studies and a need for an alternative approach as an
answer to the “crisis in education.” However, the challenges of fitting into
mainstream requirements may force public Montessori schools to modify elements
that are fundamental to the method. In particular, high stakes testing may create

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challenges for Montessori schools by forcing them to shift time away from
Montessori lessons and self-directed work in order to prepare for tests (Anderson,
2005). Furthermore, state teaching credentials are more crucial in meeting federal
requirements for highly qualified teachers in public schools than Montessori
certification (Murray, 2005).
Not surprisingly, with so many opportunities for diluting the approach, the
Montessori community believes that the general public lacks a clear understanding of
the philosophy or method of Montessori education (Chattin-McNichols, 1998). In
response, this study will contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding Montessori
education by answering research questions regarding (1) How much does the general
public know about Montessori education? (2) What are the general public’s
perceptions of Montessori education? and (3) What attitudes and demographic
characteristics are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori education?

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Chapter 3: Methods
In order to gauge public perceptions of Montessori education, an online
survey was conducted with members of an internet panel administered by e-Rewards
Market Research, a national research firm. The study answered research questions
regarding how much the general public knows about Montessori education,
perceptions of Montessori education and the attitudes and demographic
characteristics that are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori education.
Further details of the study participants, measures and procedures are outlined in the
sections that follow.
Participants
Human subjects approval. Approval for this study was obtained from the
human subjects committee (HSC-L) of the University of Kansas. No unusual or
extreme hardship was experienced by participants in this study. Respondents were
members of an online panel maintained by e-Rewards Market Research. The only
demand on respondents was the time necessary to respond to the online survey
regarding their perceptions of traditional and Montessori education. In exchange for
participation in the study, respondents received the standard incentive e-Rewards
offers its panelists for survey completion.

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Sample. Specifically, data were collected through e-Rewards’ weekly omnibus
survey. Each week, e-Rewards administers an online survey comprised of questions
on various topics submitted by their clients. The weekly surveys include a
demographically representative sample of at least 1,500 U.S. adult panel members (e-
Rewards Market Research, n.d.a). The sample is stratified based on 2000 U.S. Census
data for age, ethnicity, gender, region, and income. For the week these questions were
fielded, a total of 1,520 panel members responded. There were no incomplete
surveys, so missing data were not an issue in this study. However, all analyses for this
study other than awareness were based on the 1,025 respondents (67.4% of 1,520)
who indicated that they had heard of Montessori education.
E-Rewards reported a 90% retention rate for panel members and response
rates from 15 to 25% on each individual survey due to their commitment to their
panelists. E-Rewards members are guaranteed strict adherence to a robust privacy
policy and receive an incentive for responding to surveys (e-Rewards, n.d.c).
Members earn points or “e-Rewards currency” for their participation in surveys.
These points are accumulated and can be redeemed for various goods and services
from firms such as: Air France KLM, American Airlines®, BLOCKBUSTER®,
Borders®, Continental Airlines®, Delta Air Lines®, Hilton®, Northwest Airlines®,
U.S.Airways®, Zales®, eBags® and other program partners (e-Rewards Market
Research. n.d.b).

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Demographics. A variety of demographic information was collected to
describe study participants. The sampling design for the overall sample of 1,520 was
stratified to reflect the 2000 U.S. Census on gender, age, region, ethnicity, and
income. The sample demographic characteristics mirrored the Census data on these
and other demographic characteristics fairly well. Even though one-sample t tests on
the continuous variables and dichotomized transformations of the categorical
variables showed significant differences between Census data and sample
demographics, this result was not surprising considering the large sample size in the
study. When evaluating the magnitude of the differences between the sample and
Census data using Cohen’s d as effect size estimates, all differences except education
level were extremely small ranging from .08 to .18. These values were clearly below
the commonly accepted level of .2 to be considered even a small effect (Cohen,
1992). Only the difference in the proportion of college graduates between the sample
(39.9%) and the Census (25.0%) reached the level of a small effect with Cohen’s d of
.30. Details of the demographic characteristics of the sample and comparisons to
Census data are provided in the paragraphs that follow.
The sample was almost evenly split between men and women (53.9% male,
n = 820; 46.1% female, n = 700). The gender breakdown of the 2000 Census showed
48.3% male and 51.7% female (U.S. Census, n.d.a). Average age of the sample was
41.83 (SD = 15.71, N = 1,520). Mean age for adults in the 2000 Census was 44.15
(SD = 16.30) (U.S. Census, n.d.a). The regional representation for the sample and the

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Census are provided in Table 3.1, and ethnic composition of the sample and the 2000
Census are provided in Table 3.2. Table 3.3 breaks down the household income of
study participants compared to Census data.
Table 3.1
Regional Representation of Sample Compared to Census
Region Samplea 2000
(N = 1,499) Census
Northeast Region 19.2% 19.4%
Midwest Region 18.1% 22.8%
South Region 38.2% 35.7%
West Region 24.5% 22.1%
Note. The data in column 2 are from Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data. Generated
by Angela Murray using American FactFinder retrieved on February 17, 2008 from
http://factfinder.census.gov.
a
Only respondents residing in one of the 50 United States were categorized by region. Since 21
respondents were in the U.S. military overseas or resided in Puerto Rico, the Marshall Islands, or some
other location, the sample for region is less than 1,520.
Table 3.2
Ethnic Composition of Sample Compared to Census
Ethnic group Sample 2000
(N = 1,520) Census
Caucasian/White 65.5% 72.0%
Hispanic Origin 14.7% 11.0%
African American /Black/Caribbean 12.6% 11.2%
American
Asian American/Pacific Islander 4.3% 3.7%
Native American, Inuit or Aleut 0.9% 0.7%
Other 1.9% 1.4%
Note. The data in column 2 are from Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data. Generated
by Angela Murray using American FactFinder retrieved on February 17, 2008 from
http://factfinder.census.gov.

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Table 3.3
Household Income of Sample Compared to Census
Income category Sample 2000
(N = 1,520) Census
Less than $25,000 26.0% 28.7%
$25,000 to $49,999 28.2% 29.3%
$50,000 to $74,999 17.3% 19.5%
$75,000 to $99,999 12.6% 10.2%
$100,000 to $149,999 12.5% 7.7%
$150,000 or more 3.4% 4.6%
Note. The data in column 2 are from Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) - Sample Data. Generated by
Angela Murray using American FactFinder retrieved on March 6, 2008 from
http://factfinder.census.gov.
As illustrated in Table 3.4, information gathered regarding participant
education showed more variation than other demographic characteristics when
compared to the 2000 Census. Education level was not one of the variables used to
stratify the sample.
Table 3.4
Education Level of Sample Compared to Census
Education Level Sample 2000
(N = 1,520) Census
High School Graduate 33.4% 47.0%
College Graduate 39.9% 25.0%
Graduate School 20.8% 7.7%
Other 6.0% 20.3%
Note. The data in column 2 are from Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) - Sample Data. Generated by
Angela Murray using American FactFinder retrieved on March 6, 2008 from
http://factfinder.census.gov.

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Along with participant education, marital status was not one of the variables
upon which the sampling scheme was based. Even so, Table 3.5 shows fairly
consistent results for study participants compared to Census data on marital status. In
terms of other family characteristics, 3 in 10 respondents (29.3%, n = 445) indicated
that there were children under the age of 18 living in the home. The 2000 Census
indicated 32.8% of U.S. householders had their own children under the age of 18
living with them (U.S. Census, n.d.c).
Table 3.5
Marital Status of Sample Compared to Census
Marital Status Sample 2000
(N = 1,520) Census
Married 42.8% 51.7%
Single 36.9% 31.9%
Living with partner 8.4% 5.2%
Other 11.9% 11.2%
Note. The data in column 2 are from Census 2000 Summary File 3 (SF 3) - Sample Data. Generated by
Angela Murray using American FactFinder retrieved on March 6, 2008 from
http://factfinder.census.gov.
In addition to basic demographic characteristics, data were captured regarding
experience with Montessori education. Only 80 participants ever had children
enrolled in a Montessori school, with only 12 having children currently enrolled in a
Montessori school. Of those whose children had ever attended a Montessori school,
the majority (72.5%, n = 58) did not know if it was affiliated with a national

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Montessori organization. The largest proportion reporting an affiliation mentioned
American Montessori Society (AMS) (15.0%, n = 12), while another 8.8% (n = 7)
mentioned Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). A small portion of
participants indicated that their child’s Montessori school was not affiliated with any
national organization or that it was affiliated with a national organization other than
AMS or AMI (2.5% , n = 2 and 3.8%, n = 3, respectively).
Most (82.5%, n = 66) of the Montessori schools attended were private
schools, 12.5% (n = 10) were public, and 5% (n = 4) of the subsample had children
who attended both public and private Montessori schools. Participants also indicated
the age ranges of their children when they attended Montessori schools. The mean
youngest age of children attending Montessori schools was 3.49 years (SD = 1.60,
n = 80). The mean oldest age of children attending Montessori schools was 5.76 years
(SD = 2.54, n = 80).
The study also attempted to gauge respondents’ potential exposure to
Montessori education through living in areas with a high prevalence of public
Montessori schools. The determination of whether or not a particular respondent lived
in an area with a high likelihood of public Montessori schools was based on self-
reported presence of magnet and/or charter schools in the local district and state of
residence. The Jola Montessori database (Jola Montessori, n.d.) identified 38 states
with public Montessori schools. So, individuals living in 1 of these 38 states who also
reported living in a district with magnet and/or charter schools were identified as

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living in an area with a high likelihood of public Montessori schools. The results
showed 45.6% of respondents (n = 632) lived in an area with a high likelihood of
public Montessori schools, and 54.4% (n = 632) did not live in an area with a high
likelihood of public Montessori schools.
Measures
The quality of the panel participants and the sample’s representativeness of
the U.S. population contribute to this study’s validity for the purpose of analyzing the
general public’s perceptions of Montessori education. Beyond external validity, steps
were taken to provide content validity evidence as well. A Table of Specifications is
provided in Appendix A that identifies specific sources for each item included in the
instrument. The instrument was reviewed by two members of the research committee
of the American Montessori Society. The instrument was also reviewed by six
Montessori teachers, including a combination of primary and elementary teachers
with AMS and AMI certifications, to identify any disagreements on the correct
answers for the Montessori knowledge questions. In addition, it was reviewed by the
director of marketing research from a major U.S. service firm and by a vice president
of a national marketing research firm with a PhD who also teaches marketing
research at Georgia Institute of Technology. Finally, the instrument was field tested
with six individuals, including parents and nonparents both with and without

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Montessori experience to identify any potential points of confusion on the
questionnaire.
The questionnaire covered: awareness of Montessori education, knowledge
level of basic characteristics of Montessori education, perceptions of Montessori
education, attitudes toward education in America in general, and demographics. The
questionnaire (including skip patterns and directions) is provided in Appendix B.
Composition of the measures representing Montessori knowledge, Montessori
perceptions, and general education attitudes regarding the role and performance of
schools in America are detailed in the sections that follow.
Knowledge level of Montessori education. The largest portion of the
questionnaire was devoted to gauging respondents’ actual knowledge level of basic
characteristics of Montessori education in the areas of Montessori school structure,
Montessori teachers, Montessori students, Montessori classrooms and goals of
Montessori education. A total of 45 items in these categories were presented with
response options of true or false. A Table of Specifications in Appendix A lists each
of the items along with correct responses and citations of the sources from which they
were drawn.
A total score was calculated to represent each respondent’s knowledge of
Montessori education. A higher score represented a larger number of correct
responses and a higher level of knowledge regarding Montessori education. Initially,
the scale included all 45 items from the knowledge questions. However, eight items

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were eliminated from the scale due negative item-total correlations. A ninth item was
eliminated due to an extremely low item-total correlation of .05. The final Montessori
knowledge composite score included 36 items with possible scores ranging from 0 to
36. The actual distribution of scores ranged from a low of 8 to a perfect score of 36.
Internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha was .78 for the 36-item Montessori
knowledge composite. The mean score on the composite of 36 items was 25.59, or
71% correct (SD = 4.61, N = 1,025).
Perceptions of Montessori education. In order to measure attitudes toward
Montessori education, respondents rated their level of agreement or disagreement on
a series of 18 statements using a five-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree;
3 = neutral; 5 = strongly agree). The Table of Specifications in Appendix A lists the
components of the Montessori support composite and provides sources which
mention each of the statements as one of the goals of Montessori education.
A composite “Montessori support” measure was calculated for each
respondent based on responses to the 18 Montessori effectiveness questions. The
composite scores ranged between 18 for the weakest support to 90 for the strongest
support. The mean rating across all 18 items was 3.80 on the five-point scale which
would be interpreted that respondents tended to agree with these statements regarding
Montessori education (SD = .74, N = 1,025). An exploratory factor analysis was
conducted on the 18 items comprising the Montessori support composite scale to
determine if multiple constructs were represented by the items. One factor was

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extracted; therefore, one composite score was used to represent the construct of
Montessori support. Detailed results from the exploratory factor analysis are provided
in Appendix C. Cronbach’s alpha for the Montessori support composite was very
high at .98.
Attitudes toward the performance of schools in America in general. To
understand the relationship between perceptions of education in general and
perceptions of Montessori education, information was also gathered regarding
attitudes toward the performance of schools in America. The same 18 items which
were used to rate the perceived performance of Montessori education were also used
to gauge perceptions of the performance of education in America overall. These items
are listed in the Table of Specifications in Appendix A. A composite score was
calculated based on the 18 questions using a five-point Likert scale ranging from
1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) with a midpoint of 3 (neutral). An
exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine if the 18 items could be used
to create one single composite score for support of schools in America, or if multiple
dimensions of school support were present. The results of the factor analysis showed
a one factor solution supporting the use of a single composite score. Details are
provided in Appendix C. Scores for American educational performance ranged from a
low of 18 for those who had the least favorable opinions of America’s educational
system to a high of 90 for those with the most positive perceptions of America’s
educational system. The mean rating across all 18 items for the perceived

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performance of schools in America was 2.83 on the five-point scale which would be
interpreted as neutral (SD = .84, N = 1,025). Cronbach’s alpha for the scale was very
high at .96.
Attitudes toward the role of education in America in general. To understand
the relationship between attitudes toward education in general and perceptions of
Montessori education, a composite for attitudes toward the desired role of education
in America overall was calculated. The role of education questions employed a five-
point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree) with a
midpoint of 3 (neutral). In order to eliminate the possibility that the Montessori
questions would bias responses to the general educational attitude questions, general
education attitude questions preceded the Montessori questions in the questionnaire.
An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine that four items could be
used to create one single composite for the desired role of schools beyond academics.
These four questions gauged respondents’ support of educational objectives that are
associated with Montessori education outside the particular context of Montessori
education, including cooperation, community, creativity, and intrinsic motivation.
Details of the exploratory factor analysis are provided in Appendix C.
Scores on the composite for the perceived role of schools in America beyond
academics ranged from the lowest possible of value of 4 to the highest possible value
of 20. Higher scores represented greater belief in the importance of schools playing a
role in children’s development beyond academics. Cronbach’s alpha for the four

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items in the composite was strong at .88 (N = 1,025). The mean value across the four
items comprising the composite was 4.23 on the five-point scale, suggesting a fairly
strong degree of support for schools playing a role beyond academics (SD = .89,
N = 1,025).
Procedures
The data for this study were collected using an online panel maintained by e-
Rewards Market Research. Each week e-Rewards sends e-mail invitations to its
panelists to obtain a demographically stratified sample of at least 1,500 respondents
for its omnibus survey. The weekly e-Rewards omnibus survey contains a maximum
of 40 client-submitted questions in addition to 7 standard demographic questions.
Thus, the firm estimates that panelists selected to participate each week’s omnibus
survey should spend no more than 15 minutes completing the online self-
administered questionnaire (e-Rewards Market Research, n.d.a). E-Rewards
identified relatively low client demand for their omnibus study scheduled for
December 7, 2007, so this was the opportunity when this study’s questions were
fielded.
E-Rewards is a well respected firm in the marketing research community. It
has been in business since 1999 and uses an e-mail and direct mail, invitation-only
process of recruiting individuals to participate in their online panel. Currently, the
panel consists of 2.6 million members. The firm maintains the quality of their panel

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membership through fraud prevention strategies which monitor for inconsistent
profile responses, straight-line survey responses, responses that are submitted too
quickly and duplicate memberships. The firm also manages participation levels to
ensure that no members participate in more than four surveys each year. Furthermore,
panelist activity is monitored to ensure that nonresponsive members are phased out,
and panelist identity is verified through matching physical addresses against
government postal information (e-Rewards Market Research, n.d.b).
After the data were collected, e-Rewards provided an electronic file of survey
responses to the investigator in SPSS format via e-mail. No hard copy survey results
were provided to the investigator. Data provided to the investigator by e-Rewards
contained only raw data from the survey responses and no personally identifiable or
sensitive information. If a participant decided to withdraw from the study, the
investigator would have manually dropped them from the database received from e-
Rewards (B. Hagins, personal communication, October 1, 2007).

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Chapter 4: Results
The objective of this study was to answer three research questions: (1) How
much does the general public know about Montessori education? (2) What are the
general public’s perceptions of Montessori education? and (3) What attitudes and
demographic characteristics are associated with positive perceptions of Montessori
education? Details of the results are provided in the sections that follow.
Knowledge of Montessori Education
Awareness of Montessori education. Awareness of Montessori education was
gauged by asking if the respondent had “ever heard the term Montessori education.”
Of the 1,520 e-Rewards members who participated in the online survey, a total of
67% of respondents reported having heard of Montessori education (n = 1,025), while
33% did not say they had heard of it (n = 495). Significant demographic differences
were evident in age, income, and education level between those who were and were
not aware of Montessori education. An independent-samples t test indicated that
individuals who were not aware of Montessori education were significantly younger
(M = 36.58, SD = 13.82) than those who had heard of it (M = 44.37, SD = 15.94),
t(1518) = 9.319, p < .001, d = .52. Another independent-samples t test found that
those who had heard of Montessori education had higher mean income (M = $65,827,

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SD = $65,827) than those who had not (M = $51,540, SD = $48,808),
t(1518) = 4.831, p < .001, d = .28.
In terms of the categorical demographic variables, only education level
differed meaningfully when comparing participants who were aware of Montessori
education and those who were not. Table 4.1 outlines the differences in education
level between the two groups. A test of proportions showed that those who had heard
of Montessori education had significantly higher levels of education (42.6% college
graduates and 25.2% graduate school) than those who had not (34.1% college
graduates and 11.7% graduate school), χ2(3, N = 1,520) = 77.94, p < .001,
Φ = .23. However, using a test of proportions there were no significant differences
between those who were aware of Montessori education and those who were not in
terms of gender (52.5% male compared to 57.0% male, χ2(1, N = 1,520) = 2.70,
p = .10). Table 4.2 outlines the differences in ethnic composition comparing the group
who was aware of Montessori education to the group that was not. Using a test of
proportions, the differences were statistically significant, but the effect size was
small, χ2(5, N = 1,520) = 21.16, p = .001, Φ = .12. Table 4.3 provides a breakdown of
the comparison of region of residence between participants who had heard of
Montessori education and those who had not. These differences were not statistically
significant, χ2(3, N = 1,520) = .644, p = .886.

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Table 4.1
Comparison of Education Level of Those Aware and Unaware of Montessori
Education
Education level Aware (N = 1,025) Unaware (N = 495)
High School Graduate 26.7% 47.1%
College Graduate 42.6% 34.1%
Graduate School 25.2% 11.7%
Other 5.5% 7.1%
Table 4.2
Comparison of Ethnic Composition of Those Aware and Unaware of Montessori
Education
Ethnic group Aware (N = 1,025) Unaware (N = 495)
Caucasian/White 67.2% 62.0%
Hispanic Origin 14.5% 15.2%
African American /Black/Caribbean 12.6% 12.7%
American
Asian American/Pacific Islander 3.1% 6.9%
Native American, Inuit or Aleut .4% 1.8%
Other 2.1% 1.4%
Table 4.3
Comparison of Region of Residence of Those Aware and Unaware of Montessori
Education
Region Aware (N = 1008) a Unaware (N = 491) a
Northeast Region 19.1% 19.3%
Midwest Region 17.7% 18.9%
South Region 38.2% 38.3%
West Region 25.0% 23.4%
a
Only respondents residing in one of the 50 United States were categorized by region. Since 21
respondents were in the U.S. military overseas or resided in Puerto Rico, the Marshall Islands, or some
other location, the sample for region is less than 1,025 for the Aware group and less than 495 for the
Unaware group.

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Participants were required to report having at least heard the term “Montessori
education” in order to respond to the subsequent questions regarding Montessori
education, resulting in a sample of 1,025 for the remaining analyses. Thus, the second
aspect of Montessori awareness captured how much respondents who said they had at
least heard of Montessori education perceived knowing about it using a five-point
Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all knowledgeable) to 5 (very knowledgeable) with
a midpoint of 3 (somewhat knowledgeable). Of those who had heard of Montessori
education, the mean level of knowledge reported was 2.39 (SD = 1.09, N = 1,025).
Table 4.4 shows that only 4.6% believed themselves to be very knowledgeable while
five times as many, 25%, reported themselves to be not at all knowledgeable.
Table 4.4
Self-reported Knowledge of Montessori Education (N = 1,025)
Self-reported knowledge level Frequency Percent
1=Not at all knowledgeable 256 25.0%
2 296 28.9%
3 = Somewhat knowledgeable 339 33.1%
4 87 8.5%
5 = Very knowledgeable 47 4.6%
Knowledge of Montessori education. Table 4.5 outlines the individual item
results for all the Montessori knowledge items as well as the correct responses.
Correct responses ranged from a low of 6.1% to a high of 96.5%. The mean score on
the composite score of 36 of the 45 items was 25.59 (SD = 4.61, N = 1,025) or 71.1%

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(SD = 12.8%). The largest portion of respondents (96.5%) knew that Montessori
classrooms have hands-on materials for learning and that goals of Montessori
education include helping children reach their individual potential (95.6%) and
motivating children to want to learn (96.3%). Very few respondents knew that
Montessori classrooms do not typically have areas for pretend play for preschoolers
(16.4%) or multiple sets of each activity so that children do not have to wait for a turn
(16.2%). In addition, few knew that Montessori teachers do not primarily motivate
children by praising good work (6.1%) or change activities frequently during the day
to keep children interested (12.5%).

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Table 4.5
Montessori Knowledge Individual Item Correct Responses and Results (N = 1,025)
Correct %
Montessori education is… response Correct
1. available in public schools. True 20.8
2. always affiliated with a particular religion. False 86.0
3. only for preschoolers. False 81.2
Montessori teachers most often…
4. evaluate children’s learning by giving students tests based on False 52.9
the curriculum.
5. evaluate children’s learning by observing children’s work. True 93.3
6. view learning as developing from within the child based on True 90.3
his/her experience.
7. see their role as transferring knowledge to children. False 21.2
8. see their role as making learning seem like playa. False 28.6
9. motivate children through following the children’s interests. True 88.7
10. motivate children by praising good worka. False 6.1
11. change activities frequently during the day to keep children False 12.5
interesteda.
12. schedule breaks for the class during work time to resta. False 22.2
13. teach lessons for the entire class so everyone gets the False 61.4
information at the same time.
14. are more concerned with children’s understanding concepts True 87.3
than correct answers.
15. keep detailed records on individual student’s progress in the True 81.0
curriculuma.
Children in Montessori classes most often…
16. decide what they want to work on each day. True 60.0
17. work at their own pace. True 91.4
18. are expected to sit quietly while doing their work. False 63.1
19. receive certificates, stickers or other forms of recognition for False 22.1
encouragement.
20. get small prizes or rewards for good behavior. False 37.0
21. are allowed to work together in small groups. True 92.8
22. have a large block of time to work without interruptionsa. True 75.6
23. are expected to do their own work without help from False 71.3
classmates.
a
Not included in Montessori support composite.